Author Archive

Alexandra Kelley

Staff Correspondent, Nextgov/FCW

Alexandra Kelley
Alexandra Kelley reports on emerging technology for Nextgov/FCW. Her most recent post was covering breaking news for The Hill where she focused on a variety of quantitative subjects, including Big Tech and the economy, in addition to covering the coronavirus pandemic since late 2019. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2017. If you have a tip you'd like to share, Alexandra can be securely contacted at alexak17.64 on Signal.
Artificial Intelligence

Agencies report over 3,000 AI use cases in 2025

The number of reported use cases more than doubled from 2024, revealing the federal government’s continued appetite to acquire advanced artificial intelligence for its workflows.

Emerging Tech

Senate committee approves quantum reauthorization bill with 7 amendments 

A markup in the Senate Commerce Committee outfitted the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act to support near-term quantum application development, cybersecurity migration timelines and scaling testbeds for quantum sciences and technologies.

Artificial Intelligence

World needs to ‘get ready’ for more powerful AI, Anthropic co-founder says

The company’s powerful Mythos, unveiled earlier this month, won’t be the only supercharged AI system to hit the market, Jack Clark said.

Artificial Intelligence

Agencies are missing a step to share information on better AI acquisition, GAO finds

A new oversight report that sampled four federal agencies underscored several hindrances to effective AI adoption, including a lack of policies for collecting lessons learned in the technology’s acquisition.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: Boosting export controls; AI-focused workforce development; and more

During Congress’s final week in recess, new legislation and amendments that were proposed run the tech policy gamut.

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI national security lead endorses ‘appropriate human judgment’ in AI

Sasha Baker, OpenAI’s head of national security policy, said a “workforce transformation” is needed to make sure that humans are making the final calls to keep people and systems safe.

Cybersecurity

Anthropic’s Glasswing initiative raises questions for US cyber operations

Intelligence officials and industry are weighing how Claude Mythos Preview could reshape hacking and cyberdefense. The company has also briefed senior officials on the AI model it says has already uncovered thousands of cyber vulnerabilities.

Policy

Trump’s FY27 budget proposes boosts and cuts to tech operations

Agencies like CISA, NIST and the IRS would see notable reductions in their budgets for next year, while programs at Energy and the VA would get additional financial support.

Acquisition

Trade and industry groups warn of risks in GSA’s draft AI procurement guidance

The guidance would establish government rights to use artificial intelligence tools in “any lawful” context, a stipulation that has drawn concern from industry advocates.

Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft expands Copilot agentic tools in government clouds

Copilot agentic AI capabilities Researcher, Analyst, Agent Builder and Copilot Studio are now available within the GCC, GCC-High and Defense cloud environments.

Acquisition

Vendors struggle to navigate the Anthropic ban’s fallout

Tech contractors say ambiguity in how Anthropic’s products are able to be used by companies working with the federal government is leaving “traps” they may unknowingly fall into.

Artificial Intelligence

Survey: Human capital is a key barrier to government AI adoption

A vast majority of federal leaders see artificial intelligence as an important step toward better operations, Ernst & Young found.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: Child social media safety, Data center moratorium, and more

This week’s new bills aim to regulate multiple aspects of digital safety — such as child social media access, AI bias and environmental harm — while others update larger legislation to support emerging technology.

People

VA’s former EHR lead indicted for concealing contractor gifts

The Department of Justice alleges that John Windom accepted and sometimes demanded various gifts while helming the electronic health record modernization at Veterans Affairs.

Artificial Intelligence

White House official advocates for a ‘give and take’ on state AI preemption

Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios argued the administration’s AI policy framework allows states to regulate some things about the technology — like child safety and state government procurement — while ensuring a national standard.

People

Trump names CEOs, nuclear fusion founders and Nobel laureate to tech advisory council

The announcement includes 13 of the possible 24 members that will make up the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Artificial Intelligence

GOP policy leads highlight child safety as key step in national AI legislation

Legislators are still working through options for what that legislation will look like, including the possibility of reviving the proposed moratorium on state AI regulations.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: Anti-AI moratorium efforts; Supporting small AI businesses; and more

Lawmakers rolled out a number of proposals this week focused on deploying or reviewing uses of AI, including legislation to leverage the tech in the energy grid and democratize the industry landscape.

Artificial Intelligence

White House releases regulatory vision for AI

The framework includes seven AI policy recommendations for Congress that attempt to balance consumer protections with advancing AI development.

Artificial Intelligence

GSA, NIST partner to craft evaluation standards for AI tools in federal operations

Through the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, both agencies will help streamline the process to develop standards for artificial intelligence tools being used in government workflows.